Space Movies – Old and New

ET and Wall-E, made 20 years apart, but both with the same cute creature from space kind of appeal for kids.

E.T Movie 

I bought a copy of ET at the local video shop a couple of weeks ago mainly because I wanted to see it again and also to see if my boys would like it as much as I did when I was a kid. The answer is yes and it’s been the number one request since I bought it home.

The boys think ET is so cute, especially when he copies the things the little boy does (they can really relate to). They get a bit scared in parts in a totally riveted, can’t even blink, need Mum or Dad to sit way. They love the happy ending and have started play-acting ET around the house. One of them walks around with a sheet over their head led by the other one.

Wall-E

Being school holidays (and raining), we took the boys to see WALL-E at the movies.

Bob the Builder Meets Elton John

There are millions of Bob movies to choose from and all are good watching but the absolute best has to be “Bob The Builder – A Christmas To Remember”. Bob’s twin brother is coming to visit from his home in the North Pole for Christmas and Bob is helping plan the Bobsville Christmas concert starring “Elton John”. The highlights for my boys are:

• The daddy reindeer getting rescued by Bob’s brother while the baby reindeer looks on
• Roley rehearsing with “John” then coming up with the stage name “Elton John”
• Everyone bopping to “Crocodile Rock”

Bob the Builder is a great positive role model and we have cited his “Can we fix it?”…”Yes we can” motto on many occasions. The dvds are short, entertaining, don’t have bad language and are all about building and fixing things (which boys love).

Boys Watches Made From Lego

A friend of ours was sent one of these Lego watches from the UK and I really want to get one for my boys for Christmas. High quality kids watches in a variety of themes and colours but the strap is made from lego. The watches are really sturdy and can easily be adjusted for different size wrists.Some of my favourite Lego Watches (see photos below) are:

• Darth Vader Watch
• Soccer Watch

 Make sure the Lego watch you choose is sold directly by Amazon as some of Amazon’s other distributors do not ship their Lego watches to New Zealand. (Thanks for alerting me to this Elaine)

Superhero Book with Cape

Every little boy wants to be a superhero and even my boys who aren’t really into dressing up love zooming around with a red cape flying over their shoulders. The Superhero Starter Kit is the coolest book. It is one of the Chicken Socks range and comes with:

• A red cape
• Different superhero masks
• Matching wristbands
• Superhero ID card
• T-shirt stickers
• Instructions on superhero dos and don’ts.

My eldest son got this book/kit for his 4th birthday and loved it. Connor is turning 4 soon and really wants the same book with cape etc so I’m sensing we’ll be getting another one.

Grow Muscles Like Popeye

You don’t hear much about Popeye these days but I often tell my boys about him and how he got so strong. He ate lots and lots and lots of spinach (and other yummy green things like silverbeet, broccolli etc). 

My way of getting the kids to eat spinach is Pesto. I’ve started making my own which is full of spinach and can be used for heaps of different meals or snacks and best of all, the kids love it.

My favourite homemade pesto recipes are:

Spinach Pesto

• 1 x Large Pack of spinach (several bunches)
• 2 handfuls of cashew nuts or 1 packet of pinenuts
• 1 small jar of sundried tomatoes
• Sprinkling of sea salt
• 3 -4 teaspoons of olive oil

Take stalks off the spinach, mulch it all up in the food processor, add more oil or salt to taste.

5 Year Old Birthday Presents Under $10

We seem to be going to little boys birthday parties almost every week at the moment so I am always on the lookout for reasonably priced toys which boys (and their Mums) will love. The boys really enjoy making a special card for their friend and we usually make the wrapping paper too.

The best boys toys for under $10 which I have come across so far are:

Lego Racers – ZX Turbo
Just one in the lego racers series. The ZX Turbo is racing through the night! Watch its side exhaust pipes glow-in-the-dark as this touring car speeds down the city streets to victory. Just build it and race! Measures 8cm (3in) long! Contains 55 pieces. Buy now…

Funho NZ Made Metal Trucks

You know when you go to someone’s house and there are heaps of cool metal trucks and tractors which look loved but aren’t broken and are really fun to play with? Chances are that these are the New Zealand made toy vehicles from Fun-ho that your kids’ Dads used to play with when they were little boys. These toys are reall made to last!

I always assumed that if you weren’t lucky enough to have a granny who saved them for your children, then you were out of luck but… just found out that you can still buy them. They are really strong and great for sandpit play.

I Like to Move It Move It

You’ve all probably noticed how cold it’s been lately and with all the rain, the kids have had a lot of inside time. Fine for a while but little boys need to jump and run so you soon get wrestling and fighting and destroying the house type activities.

As soon as things get out of hand, we put on Connor’s favourite CD really loud and the boys boogie all over the lounge to the music, making up crazy dance moves and then trying to copy each other.

Our current favourite, which is brilliant for dancing to is the Madagascar Soundtrack with “Move It, Move It” sung by Sascha Baron Cohen who plays King of the Lemurs in the movie. The CD also features “Stayin Alive” by the BeeGees, “What a Wonderful World” and a whole lot of other classics.

Buy Madagascar Soundtrack (NZ$ with free delivery)

Could be your chance to teach the kids some of your own dance moves before they’re too old to be embarrassed.

New Book by Gruffalo author

We have just bought the new book by Julia Donaldson, author of “The Gruffalo”, called “Tyrannosaurus Drip” about a little dinosaur who hatches into the wrong nest. It really appealed to the boys even the first time we read it with the same catchy rhymes and phrases which stick in their heads.

The T-Rex’s are the baddies and the Duckbill dinosaurs are the goodies in the boys eyes so they get right into the “Up with Hunting” and “Up with War” chants. We’ve only had the book (just realeased in paperback) for a couple of days and I’ve already read it at least 20 times.

The Lion Man is Back on TV

I just found out that my boys all time favourite tv show, The Lion Man is returning to New Zealand television this Sunday (June 22) at 7pm.

According to the tv2 website, series 3 will include:

• the arrival of the jaguars
• a special visit by the All Blacks
• Craig’s amazing trip to South Africa’s as he sources three white lions. 

I haven’t told the boys yet but know they will be really excited.

Not really related but… my favourite show has also just returned to tv. The new series of Outrageous Fortune started last week. Tuesday nights at 9:30.